Pixelated Symbols

This week the ASPIRE 5 class combined writing and digital art, as I was inspired by another Ian Byrd lesson.  After discussing symbols with different personal meanings such as eagles and rings, students had to choose an object of their own, and defend what it means to them in a short essay.  To supplement their writing, students created a picture by coloring in pixels on a spreadsheet I formatted for them with small squares.  I allowed students to work together because Ian Byrd provided a link to a video that showed students collaborating to make an amazing pixelated work of art.  Along the way, something very unexpected happened.

It was easy to get a sense of how well the students worked together on their images.  While I was walking around the room, I could see the progress they were making on their pictures, and listen to their conversations about their ideas and strategies.  The impact of what they were accomplishing did not hit me until I read their essays.  Many of the students chose to use completely different meanings for their writing, even if they were collaborating on the same picture.  When they presented the object with multiple perspectives, it made the overall effect of the image more powerful and thought provoking.  Groups showed that flowers represent life or death, fire causes destruction and re-birth, a heart symbolizes love and loyalty, and a fish can mean knowledge and mystery.  These contrasting views show insight to how the students view the world, and even reveal their interests and personality traits.

Overall, I thought this was a very successful activity.  The students practiced defending their position in writing, and used teamwork to reach a common goal by creating the supplemental picture.  They added much of the depth and complexity on their own by presenting multiple perspectives, which was very exciting to see.  If you are still wondering what an eagle means to me, just click here.  For a detailed look at Ian Byrd's lesson, please click here.  The image below was created by two students from ASPIRE 5.